Ore concentrator



Sept. 23 1924. 1,509,681

w. E. MENDENHALL ORE CONCENTRATOH Filed llarch 23, 1923 llll i tumnumQlll lh! ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 23, 1924.

EXTRACTION BADO.

PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER EVERETT MENDENHALL, 0F MOAB, UTAH, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION METALS COMPANY, OF LAKE CITY, COLORADO, A CORPORATZON OF COLO- ORE GONCENTRATOR.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, WALTER E. Melamine HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moab, in the county of Grand and State of Utah, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ore Concentrators, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an ore concentrator of the type in which crushed ore or gravel containing precious metals or minerals is passed through a series of oscillating trays and the particles of gold, silver, leador other minerals separated from the lighter waste particles or tailings and collected in certain depressed portions of the trays.

he genera-l object of the invention is to simplify the construction of this class of devices and at the same time to increase their capacity. I In my construction, the check screens which are usually placed between the discharge opening of one tray and the depre$ed portion of the next lower tray may be dispensed with. The construction of the floor of each tray is such that the same may be rapidly oscillated without loss of the valuable parts of the ore and consequently the capacity of the box is greatly increased.

The structure and principles of my invention will be best understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the tray box.

Fig. 2 is a. perspective view of one of the trays.

Fig. 3 is a. perspective view of the next adjacent tray.

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of a mod1- fied form of tray.

The ore concentrator, of which my invention forms a part, includes a suitable frame 5' within which a rectangular box 6 is suspended by means of suitable links 7 and 8, connecting the ends of the box to the upper rail of the frame 5 from which the box is suspended. The box is provided with a suitable pitman 9, by means of which it may be oscillated longitudinally of the .frame. A series of trays 10 and 11 are suitably supported one above the other within the box 6. Each of the trays is provided with a floor having oppositely-inclined por- Appllcation filed March 23, 1923. Serial No. 627,153.

tions 12, with an opening 13 at the upper edge of each inclined portion, through .which, as the trays are oscillated, the lighter particles of ore are discharged into the tray next below. It will be-noted that the in clined portions 12 of the trays 10 extend upwardly and outwardly toward the end openlngs 13, while the inclined portions 12 of the trays 11 which alternate with the trays 10, extend upwardly and inwardly toward a central opening 13. Thus, the ore passes back and forth longitudinally of the trays as it passes downwardly through the suc cessive openings 13 and is discharged into the bottom of the box. The floor of each tray has a depressed portion 14 immediately below the opening 13 in the tray next above.

This depressed portion is separated fromthe adjacent lower edge of the inclined portion 12 by a vertical strip or riser 15, which is firmly held in position by a supporting angle bar 16.

The links 7 and 8, by which the box 6 is suspended, extend upwardly from the ends of the box in diverging relation so that as the box is oscillated longitudinally through the medium of the pitm-an 9, it is also given a longitudinal rocking motion which facilitates the passage of the ore and gravel upwardly along the inclined portions 12 of the floors. The box may be oscillated quite rapidly without causing the heavier particles to advance over the floors because of th vertical strips 15. The trays 10 are preferably each provided with a central transverse partition 17 which separates the depressed portion 14 of the floor into two equal parts and assists the initial progress of the ore toward'the elevated openings 13 at each end of the tray.

In the modification shown in Fig. 1, the floor of the tray 11 is provided with a depressed portion 14, which receives the ore discharged by the tray next above, and the floor between the depressed portion 14" and th central discharge opening 13 consists ofa succession of upwardly-inclined steps 18' connected by vertical riser strips 19. This modification nlay, in connection with certain kinds of ore, be found preferable to the form shown in Figs. 1 to 3, since each of the risers 19 performs a function similar to the single riser 15.

It has been found that with. a tray constructed in accordance with my invention,

the check screen which has been hitherto customarily used between the discharge 0 ning of one tray and the receiving end 0 the next tray below to prevent cutting the contents of the lower tray may be dispensed with, since the vertical strip 15 will prevent the concentrated portion of the ore from passing onto the upwardly inclined portion 12.

In other words, the obstructions formed by the risers aid in effecting a settling of the heavier particles under the influence of the longitudinal parallel oscillation, causing a closer collection of the metallic and mineral substances. They permit a more rapid oscillation, thereby increasin to an important extent the capacity of t e trays. They also halt the tendency of the metallic and mineral particles to creep up in the trays when the oscillation is too rapid, thereby neutralizing the adverse efi'ects of'a change of speed.

The height of the risers or strips 15 and 19 may be varied to suit the conditions of use and the character of the ore which is treated. It is also to be understood that while I have shown and described specifically the various features of my invention, the same is merely illustrative and various modifications in the proportions of the different parts and their relative arrangements may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. In an ore concentrator, a box mounted for lon itudinal oscillation and having a series 0 trays arranged one above the other, each tray having'a floor with an elevated outlet extending transversely across the tray, the floor being inclined downwardly from said outlet and having a level depressed portion connected by a vertical strip with the lower edge of the inclined portion.

2. In an ore concentrator, a box mounted for longitudinal oscillation, links by which the box is suspended, means for imparting motion to the box, a series of trays arranged one above the other within the box, each tray having a floor with an elevated outlet extending transversely across the tray, the floor being inclined downwardly longitudinally from said outlet and having a level depressed portion connected by a. vertical strip with the lower edge of the inclined portion, the discharge openin of the floor of one tray being arranged irectly above the depressed portion of the floor of the next lower tray.

3. In an ore concentrator, a frame, a box within the frame, upwardly-diverging links connecting the opposite ends of the box to the frame, whereby to impart a longitudinal rocking motion to the box when the latter is oscillated, means for oscillating the box longitudinally, a. series of trays arranged one above the other in said box, each tray having a floor with an elevated outlet extending transversely across the same, the outlet of one tray being directly above the lowest portion of the floor of the next tray and the space therebetween being entirely unobstructed.

4. In an ore concentrator, a tray comprising a bottom, having a transversely extending pocket with a level floor, an abrupt rise at. the side of the pocket, an inclined portion leading longitudinally upwardly from the abrupt rise, an elevated outlet at the upper edge of said inclined portion, and side walls surrounding and extending above said bottom and said outlet.

5. In an ore concentrator, a box mounted for oscillation and having a series of trays arranged one above the other, each tray having a floor withan elevated outlet, and a depressed level portion, the remainder of the floor including a series of upwardly-inclined steps leading from the depressed portion to the elevated outlet and connected by vertical risers.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixcd my signature.

\VALTER EVERETT MENDENHALL. 

